Results 21-40 of 7,048 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (12 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1144, 1145, 1146, 1147, 1148, 1149 and 1150 together. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) undertook a Section 64 review under the HEA Act 2022 in 2024 in respect of Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin). Following this TU Dublin was requested to prepare a financial recovery plan to address concerns raised by the HEA regarding financial reporting,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (12 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: I can provide the Deputy with the number of students that have been awarded and paid a grant under the Student Grant Scheme for the current academic year. These are students that are attending approved full-time or part-time courses at PLC, undergraduate and postgraduate level in approved institutions. - 2025/26* 2025/26* Grant Rate Band ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (12 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1154, 1155, 1156 and 1157 together. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), established under the 1999 Electricity Regulation Act, is an independent regulator accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas. Among its functions, the CRU is responsible for the qualifying criteria for the Qualified Certifier (QC) scheme under Safe Electric. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (12 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: Speak Out allows people to disclose their experiences anonymously of bullying, harassment, assault, and sexual violence – and avail of signposting to support services. It is one of a range of reporting options available in HEIs. I commend our universities and colleges, and the Higher Education Authority, for taking meaningful steps to make higher education a safer place for students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (12 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: In general, for student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on their parent(s) or legal guardian(s), or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student ifthey have attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry or re-entry to an approved further education course...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (12 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently announced the details of a Budget 2026 decision to permanently reduce the student contribution charge from €3,000 to €2,500, starting from this academic year. The reduction in the student contribution charge applies to all Free Fees eligible courses and I have secured funding on that basis. Through the Free Fees Initiative, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (12 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: The Student Assistance Fund is administered by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of my Department. The HEA determine the allocations for each higher education institution in accordance with agreed procedures / guidelines relating to the fund. Please see the attached document for the total amount of Student Assistance Fund for the academic years 2023-2024, 2024-2025 and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Work Supports (12 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: By way of background for the Deputy, Youthreach provides a two-year education and training pathway for young people who have left mainstream education with limited qualifications. The programme supports learners in gaining the skills, knowledge, and confidence to progress to further education, training, or employment. Certification is typically achieved at Levels 3 and 4 on the National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising (6 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: Ireland needs people with construction skills and experience to help deliver on ambitious targets for new housing and infrastructure. The National Development Plan outlines a record €275.4 billion in public capital investment, aiming to secure Ireland's future, to transform the country, unlock housing, upgrade water and energy infrastructure, deliver more roads, and provide better...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (6 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: By way of background for the Deputy, Youthreach provides a two-year education and training pathway for young people who have left mainstream education with limited qualifications. The programme supports learners in gaining the skills, knowledge, and confidence to progress to further education, training, or employment. Certification is typically achieved at Levels 3 and 4 on the National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (6 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: Irish universities are independent and autonomous statutory bodies established under the Universities Act, 1997, which while guaranteeing the principle of academic freedom, also requires detailed institutional level governance arrangements for the management, operation, policies and strategy of the relevant institution to be in place. The issue raised by the Deputy is therefore a matter...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (5 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: By way of background for the Deputy, Further Education and Training (FET) is delivered by 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across the country. There are two ETBs in Dublin - City of Dublin ETB and Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB (DDLETB). City of Dublin ETB is divided in four areas - Northeast Campus, Central Campus, Southwest Campus, and Northwest Campus. While the ETB boundaries do...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (5 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: The student referred to by the Deputy received a letter from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) on 27 May 2025 confirming an initial award of the full Non-adjacent rate of Maintenance grant, together with 100% Student Contribution/100% Tuition Fees, in respect of year two of the three-year Level 7 undergraduate course. However, upon contacting the student's college to verify...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (5 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: I am very much aware that cost of living challenges continue to impact students and their families, including those in the middle-income bracket who may fall just outside eligibility for grant assistance. The Student Grant Scheme, administered by SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), provides grant assistance to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (4 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: My Department recognises the critical importance of promoting and expanding the teaching and use of Irish at third level. The Higher Education Authority Act (2022) places a statutory obligation on the HEA to support higher education institutions (HEIs) to teach, promote, and use the Irish language. To that end, my Department supports HEIs, via the HEA, through both core funding and specific...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Programmes (4 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: My Department recognises the critical importance of promoting and expanding the teaching and use of Irish at third level. The Higher Education Act (2022) places an obligation on the HEA to support HEIs to teach, promote and use the language. To that end, my Department supports higher education institutions, via the HEA, through the provision of core funding, and specific funding to support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (4 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2092 and 2095 to 2097, inclusive, together. By way of background for the Deputy, Youthreach provides a two-year education and training pathway for young people who have left mainstream education with limited qualifications. The programme supports learners in gaining the skills, knowledge, and confidence to progress to further education, training, or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (4 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2093, 2094, 2100, 2117, 2133 and 2150 together. By way of background for the Deputy, Youthreach provides a two-year education and training pathway for young people who have left mainstream education with limited qualifications. The programme supports learners in gaining the skills, knowledge, and confidence to progress to further education, training, or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (4 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. Article 22 of the Student Grant Scheme 2025 sets out for the awarding authority the determination of reckonable income. Reckonable income shall be determined by the awarding authority on the basis of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2025)

James Lawless: My officials are collating the information requested and will revert to the Deputy as soon as possible.